Do you think fish care????

[snowman48047]

Re: Do you think fish care????

I'd need to find it, but there was a study done with I think kayaks of different colors and an underwater camera just to see what the fish did. Fish reacted negatively to brighter colors like red, yellow, orange, etc...by dropping down in depth and hiding more and mostly ignored darker colors like black, brown, and green. It was a fresh water lake/pond and a fairly shallow area with panfish, but I do not think it would make much difference as long as we aren't talking muddy water at 30' depths.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Do you think fish care????

Consider all the colors uses for lures, although many lures are designed more to catch customers than fish. But there is no comparing a flash on a lure and a big mass; instinctively they hit something small and shy away from something big unless it's cover. So a dark shape (including white) is as comfortable as a log or dock or mat of grass floatnig by; an odd mass of color is merely odd and therefore smaller fish will move away. But that point is moot b/c no one's painting a bottom pink or yellow, and the deep red bottom paint is not the same as bright red plastic.

One of the flaws in the kayak test is that a kayak mimics a large predator swimming overhead, but not a big boat bottom.

Red is one of the best colors for lures (the red/white combo especially) but because it is visible, it may not be good for line. A boat bottom has nothing to do with either.

And when you say "fish" you have to distinquish between baitfish, which would hide, and those which feed on them, which wouldn't. In between would be grazers like sheepshead who feed but also want to hide.

 

[kungpaoshizi]

Re: Do you think fish care????

As I'm very familiar with fish (aquarium keeping for yearssss) they notice everything. JimS123 is about spot on from what his Grandpa said. I myself will be painting my hull black, I may add some brown and green. Though fish will hang out next to all sorts of things in the water, anything not green or brown they tend to approach cautiously. I can't stand white bottom boats or other colors because there's nothing in nature like that floating around in the water. When you talk to a bass guy, they'll probably say fish around sunken objects, the majority is trees and logs. What color are those? (don't forget any object in the water long enough will become green/brown from algae) But yes, I've yet to see any bright green or yellow tree logs in the water... Fish are by no means stupid, so they instinctively know what "belongs" and what's "new". This is of course just what I've observed over the years, and what seems to make sense, but of course not everyone fishes directly under the boat, because not all the fish are there either.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Do you think fish care????

Again, Like Home Cookin talked about, it depends on where and what you are fishing for, A large dark object above a salt water fish could be a Seal or Sea lion, killer whale, etc (sorry killer whales have white bellies as camouflage). A dark brown object in a lake or pond could be a log. It all depends on their location.

Captive fish react differently because of their environment, it's one of the problems fish hatcheries experience. A shadow or moving object above the tank is typically a person feeding them, so they move to it, in the wild it is more likely to be a predator and they become lunch, so survival is poor for hatchery fish when released compared to a wild fish.

 

[kungpaoshizi]

Re: Do you think fish care????

Again, Like Home Cookin talked about, it depends on where and what you are fishing for, A large dark object above a salt water fish could be a Seal or Sea lion, killer whale, etc (sorry killer whales have white bellies as camouflage). A dark brown object in a lake or pond could be a log. It all depends on their location.

Captive fish react differently because of their environment, it's one of the problems fish hatcheries experience. A shadow or moving object above the tank is typically a person feeding them, so they move to it, in the wild it is more likely to be a predator and they become lunch, so survival is poor for hatchery fish when released compared to a wild fish.

Location probably does make the biggest difference.. one color in a murk isn't the same in a clear lagoon.. That's one pet peeve I have with the Sippi, it's always murky. Would love it if there was glass clear water around here, but I'm sure that has it's own downfalls.

One thing I did notice with predatory fish (a person feeding I would associate more with non-predators moving to the surface) is it didn't matter if I put in a hunk of shrimp tied to a fishing line or a piece of d?cor on a suction cup, if it was NOT a moving item (live crawfish, rots, brine shrimp) they would always stay back as far as they could it and 'check it out' for a good few minutes. If it was alive, they sensed it very quickly and moved in. If it was questionable if it was food or not, they hardly ever moved towards it. I notice this more often than not with the majority of predators, cleaner fish or herbivores never usually cared.

Interesting point about the hatchery fish, I guess they would be more tame ultimately.. like lions/tigers/etc that are released back into the wild after x years..

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Do you think fish care????

stop and think a minute. The issue isn't what attracts fish; you're not using the boat as a lure for baitfish on the notion that after a few hours a game fish will come within netting distance. The issue is what might scare fish away that are in your hunting range--seldom are you going for anything within 10 feet of the boat and after that it doesn't matter.

I can't believe I've been drawn into discussing this. Like arguing with a 6 year old about dragons.

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Do you think fish care????

stop and think a minute. The issue isn't what attracts fish; you're not using the boat as a lure for baitfish on the notion that after a few hours a game fish will come within netting distance. The issue is what might scare fish away that are in your hunting range--seldom are you going for anything within 10 feet of the boat and after that it doesn't matter.

I can't believe I've been drawn into discussing this. Like arguing with a 6 year old about dragons.

I have caught a lot of Muskie and Pike within a few feet of the boat. They follow up the lures and strike that close more often then not, and sometimes at the boat doing figure eights. I dont want them to follow and not hit because the bottom was red or something.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Do you think fish care????

I can't believe I've been drawn into discussing this. Like arguing with a 6 year old about dragons.

If you think its a myth, then don't argue.

My previous comments about forest green just happen to apply to muskie and pike fishermen, who often DO get a strike in that 10' range.

We have a hard core group of musky guys and a Summer-long tournament every year. To the ones that win, color DOES matter.

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Do you think fish care????

If you think its a myth, then don't argue.

My previous comments about forest green just happen to apply to muskie and pike fishermen, who often DO get a strike in that 10' range.

We have a hard core group of musky guys and a Summer-long tournament every year. To the ones that win, color DOES matter.

Pike and Muskie is what I mainly fish for. Thats why I was concerned. Im not going to do forest green but I will def not use a bright color. Im pretty set on a dark gray at the moment. I also do a lot of bass fishing which Im sure wouldnt matter as much but choosing the right colors would help somewhat.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Do you think fish care????

Pike and Muskie is what I mainly fish for. Thats why I was concerned. Im not going to do forest green but I will def not use a bright color. Im pretty set on a dark gray at the moment. I also do a lot of bass fishing which Im sure wouldnt matter as much but choosing the right colors would help somewhat.

I think green is the color of choice because it looks like weeds. I see some dark browns as well among the "experts". My last boat was dark blue and we used to get two muskies a day. My current boat has an off white bottom and we get one musky for 2 times out. I must say, though, that the ones we do get now are bigger, and they strike at deeper depths.

 

[coolbri70]

Re: Do you think fish care????

go with something reflective, fish in my aquarium seem to like looking at themselves

 

[terrysandlin]

Re: Do you think fish care????

Yes, fish do care. They are sensitive and proud. I told my wife I needed another boat because the fish were laughing at my previous inferior boat. I am now going to try telling her they are laughing at my inferior tackle and need a trip to Cabelas. Fish want to be caught by the best boat and tackle.

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Do you think fish care????

Yes, fish do care. They are sensitive and proud. I told my wife I needed another boat because the fish were laughing at my previous inferior boat. I am now going to try telling her they are laughing at my inferior tackle and need a trip to Cabelas. Fish want to be caught by the best boat and tackle.

Haha! It sure seems that way...... Or the Barbie pole for the kids.
Nice fish Jim but damn that kids has some huge feet! JK! How big was that fish? 40" or so?

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Do you think fish care????

Noise like slamming hatches or jumping on decks definitely scare fish. Not just 10' but depending on the water 100's of feet off your boat. Water carries sound great.

Also coming in hot towards any hole stops the biting for a long time. (Tip for all those guys running from hole to hole, your not just killing your fishing trip, but the trip for others too)

 

[JimS123]

Re: Do you think fish care????

Haha! It sure seems that way...... Or the Barbie pole for the kids.
Nice fish Jim but damn that kids has some huge feet! JK! How big was that fish? 40" or so?

The fish was 46" and he landed it all by himself. 19' down on a 1.9 MPH troll. His Grandpa held the net. BTW, I think they say it skips a generation....

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Do you think fish care????

Lol and Thats awesome. I never caught one until I was in my 20s, besides little snakes and thats still hard. Lost the biggest one of my life well over 50" the 1st week of Aug. Which is why I bought the boat. I need to be out there more to make up for it.